TWO men were jailed over a plot against a Sefton businessman in which a live hand grenade was left outside the home of Liverpool FC legend Kenny Dalglish.

Carl Higgins and Simon Ignacio planned to throw the explosive into the home of Birkdale home security boss John Ball last July.

But they aborted the plan when they were spotted by plain clothes police and a private security guard.

In their hurry to get away, they stashed the British Army-issue grenade in shrubbery on a neighbouring wall in Selworthy Road, unaware it was the home of Mr Dalglish.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, Higgins, 29, and Ignacio, 28, were jailed for five years and four-and-a-half years respectively.

Mark Johnston, the man who coordinated the attack from his prison cell at HMP Walton, was also due to be sentenced but his case was adjourned.

Jason Smith, prosecuting, said Johnston, 21, was orchestrating the attack on behalf of others with him behind bars.

Mr Smith said the background was one of witness intimidation relating to a trial set to start at the crown court on July 27, the morning after the attack.

Mr Smith said that last January, “serious allegations” were made to police regarding the purchase of a garage in Brewster Street, Bootle.

Three men were arrested, with two held in Walton.

Mr Smith said one of the people originally involved in the garage was Mr Ball and that after the allegations were made he and his business partner, Terry Riley, suffered more than 20 gun and firebomb attacks.

Mr Smith said: “This attack was the evening before the commencement of the trial of the three men [originally accused over the garage].

“It was designed to scare and intimidate. It was largely a campaign to undermine the course of justice.”

At a later trial, the three accused over the garage were acquitted.

Mr Smith said the grenade was “designed for use on the battlefields of Afghanistan, not for the suburban streets of Southport”.

Found on Higgins’ mobile phone were instructions for the attack sent by Johnston, who is serving nine years for armed robbery. Police found his phone hidden on him when he was taken out of prison for questioning.

The court heard Ignacio, of Lee Park Avenue, Belle Vale, was to be paid £500 to throw “an explosive device” but he denied knowing it was a grenade.

He and Higgins, of Helston Green, Huyton, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to cause damage being reckless as to whether lives would be endangered.

Det Supt Martin Andrew, from the police Matrix unit, said: “We worked hard with the CPS to make the case what it was and the thoroughness of the investigation left these defendants with no option but to plead guilty.

“Had that device gone off, it would have been catastrophic.

“The resources we put in following the early incidents at this address did their job as plain clothes officers were there as soon as something suspicious was spotted.”